Mulayam encourages women to go for higher studies

Meerut, Sep 27 (UNI) Calling upon women folk of Uttar Pradesh to join politics and other fields after completing their studies, Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav today said the mafia would be removed from the state political scene immediately if they come forward and join it.

''Mafia would be removed from politics immediately if you join it and leave no space for them,'' he said.

Addressing a rally of students, farmers and party workers here, he said financial problems would not be allowed to cripple the careers of thousands of young girls in the state.

''We have been distributing money under the ''Kanya Vidhya Dhan'' scheme to the girls students to make sure that everybody gets a fair chance to grow,'' the Chief Minister added.

Emphasising the need to protect the girl child in the country, he said situation is getting out of hand due to female foeticide and something should be done about it.

''If a family wants to be happy, girl child is to be saved,'' he said adding that the UP government has opened up opportunities in terms of government jobs for the youth and it would continue its policy of encouraging girls to come forward and contribute for the development of the country.

Criticising the Centre for not giving funds to be distributed as unemployment allowance, the Chief Minister said every time he asked the Centre to help, the proposal was refused.

In today's rally 14,139 girl students were given financial assistance of Rs 20,000 each and 6,548 unemployed youth were provided Rs 500 each as their unemployment allowance.

UNI SK RP ND1744